A US marriage clerk imprisoned for six days over her repeated refusals, on religious grounds, to issue marriage licences to same-sex couples “will return to work”, her legal counsel has insisted.

Kim Davis had been arrested and imprisoned on September 3 on the order of Kentucky District Court Judge David Bunning following her defiance of his order that, in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s legalising of same-sex marriage nationwide, marriage clerks must begin issuing licences to gay couples.

Despite a threat that Davis would remain in prison until she purged her contempt of court, she was released after six days as her case provoked a national debate and brought thousands rallying to her cause, including numerous Republican presidential hopefuls who highlighted the woman’s right to freedom of religion under the US Constitution.

In releasing Davis, Judge Bunning said he was doing so as her office was now issuing same-sex marriage licences and he warned her not to interfere in this process.

Legal counsel for Davis announced after her release – which was greeted by rapturous support from those who had maintained a vigil outside her prison – that Davis would now take a short period of rest, but would return to work, while stressing that she would not “violate her conscience” in the course of that work.

Speaking during the period of Davis’ incarceration, former Senator Rick Santorum warned that hers was merely represented the first case of a person imprisoned for religious beliefs as more challenges to conscience arose across the country.